Before You

Chapter Sixteen.

I knew exactly where to go.

Without even having to think about it, I took the first exit and wove through the backroads. The night sky whirred over us as my body took over and took the familiar turns and the occasional dirt road until the trees that had been lining the roads on either side slowly started to disappear, replaced by open fields with cattle or horses relaxing in the brisk night air. I had to turn on the truck's high beams to see clearly, but I knew the way like the back of my hand.

My own body flooded with a wave of relief when I saw the lonely mailbox up ahead of us and I turned up the long gravel driveway, the wooden fence closing in the cornfields on both sides.

"I think this is private property." Hunter muttered, his elbow propped on the door and his face leaned into his hand as he watched the fence go by out the window.

"I know," I told him. "my great grandfather's land." I explained. It was the first time we'd spoken in thirty minutes. Though he was slowly pulling back on his mask, his voice couldn't hide the trouble inside of him.

I parked the truck in front of a gate that led to a path through the field and I jumped out to run and unlatch the gate, pushing it wide open, then ran back to the truck.

"What are we doing?" Hunter asked me when I sat back down and turned the truck into the path and we started driving through the narrow path through the corn stalks.

"You'll see." I said simply.

"I'm surprised you can drive a stick shift." He mumbled. It was obvious to me that he was just trying to make conversation to distract himself and probably me too from what had happened.

"This is Texas." I laughed. "My dad and brother thought it was important for me to be able to drive it all."

"Smart men."

I nodded, banishing thoughts of my brother and dad laughing at me as I tried to master the art of the stick shift. Why anyone would rather do all this work rather than have an automatic, I have no idea, but I guess tonight having the knowledge to do it actually did come in handy.

"We're here." I smiled as the corn all vanished and we were left in a cut out circle of flattened grass. I'd always felt safe here. It was like leaving the rest of the world behind and being wrapped up in your own private space. My grandad had the area cleared after my brother died and I used to sneak off into the corn to be alone. We'd lived on this little farm when Clint got really sick and a while after he died. My parents had to put all of the money they could into medical bills, so it was easier to stay here with Grandad.

He didn't want me getting lost in my search for alone time, so he'd come out and cleared me a path, then cut down a big area and flattened it out for me. I'd come out here in the middle of the day and lay in the center of my circle and stair up at the clouds. Or, my favorite, I'd come at night and lay on a blanket and stare up at the clear night sky, trying to map out the constellations.

"I've never brought anyone here before." I admitted shyly, pushing open my door and dropping down to the ground before I had the chance to blush. I walked to the backside of the truck, pulling down the tailgate when I heard Hunter get out too.

I dangled my legs off the tailgate as he walked around and hopped up to join me.

"What is this place?" He asked as he looked around at the wall of corn that surrounded the circle cutout.

"My hideaway." I shrugged then told him about my granddad and how he'd done this for me. "As I got older and could drive, then he made the path bigger so I could come whenever I wanted." I explained. "I haven't been up here in months though."